Rail bond



A Dec. 10,1929, y DEEMS ETAL 1,739,293

,RAIL BOND Fired Feb. 27. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, "1929. EM. DEEMS ET AL 1,739,293

' RAIL Bonn I Filed Feb. 27. 192e 2 sheets-sinear' v 'Kwam Patented Dec.- l0, 1929 EDWARD u. Daams, or FOREST HILLS, IAND rWILLIAM n. n." l

AssreNOns Iro RAILROAD Accnssoams cOnrOaArrON, or Naw BUSH, NEW YORK,

' YORK, N. Y.,'A CORPORATION O'F NEW YORK p RAn. BOND I Application led February 27, 1926." Serial No. 91,022.'

This' invention relates 4to electrical con-4 ductors, particularly to such conductors used as electrical bonds and more especially as rail member bonds.

A principal ob'ect of this invention is the production of a ond of the which is especially adapted for ending from one rail head or ball to an adjacent rail head or ball or froma rail'head or ball toan adjacent joint or fish plate.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the descriptionlof the articular physical embodiments selected to illustrate the invention progresses and the novel features of the invention will be particularly` pointed out in the appended claims:

In describing the invention' and the. particular physical embodiments selected toil- 'lustrate the -to invention, reference will be had 'the accompanying drawingillustrating particular preferred physical embodiments 'of the invention selected to illustrate the in vention and wherein the same characters of reference designatel corresponding parts throughtout the several views, and in which: Figure 1, illustrates a side elevation of a fragment of two rails with a rail bond embodying the invention in place thereon; Fi 2, is a cross sectional cated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a part plan and part sectionalview of a frag- I ment of a bond embodying the invention showing the structure thereof in detail; Fig.

'4, is a plan view illustratinga modified form of bond embodying the invention Fig. 5, is a view showing another modified form; Fig. 6,

Ais a detail viewillustrating another modified construction; Fig. 7, is a View showing another -modified construction: Fig. 8, is a s ide Fig- 1, showmg In the drawings, particularlyFig. 1, 1 designates one `rail and 2 an .adjacent sub'- stantially abutting rail. For the purpose of illustrating the use of the invention selection might well be made of any. two adjacent structures which might be calledra'il members so that when reference is hereinafter made to rail it ma be considered equivalent to rail member an vice versa.

tpe described ,g

the end portion' of the 4con view on the planes ind1 Aapparently absorbs the vibration and so -member'may be used *In order to electrically connect .the rail 1- with the rail 2 it is'pr'eferred to make electrical connection from railhead 3 to rail head.'4.- In order to do this it is preferred to use a conductor, -5 and -it is referred toeuse a stranded somewhat flexi lle conductor made of a relatively soft metal such as copper. j

In order to mechanically i duetor 5 it 4is preferred to surround conductorl 5 p'efeably with a helicall" wound member as relativelyv hard materi corrosion and to the usualabrasion. to .which it will be subjected in use, and a material of a very considerable elasticity. It is preferred to use a phosphor bronze which has the qualities specified. A

To connect the co ductor 5 to the rail heads I prefer to use renlarged member? asl 7. This enlarged'memIV er is formed with a passage 8. In'- order to connect conductor 5 to this enlarged member 7, it is referred topass the passage and then solder it in place. solder, ismeant to be designated any ofthe well Own processes which soldering, tinning,.autogenous soldering or electric welding It is preferred to form a cavity'9 at the opening of the passage 8 and to have this' .cavity of greater diameter than the' diameter of the passage. -This cavity ispreferably filled with soft metal while molten and this metal firmly attaches itself both to the enlarged member and to the conductonf as lshown in Fig. 6. By this construction vibration to which the conductor isl subjected in practice isrendered practically incapable-of causing -the conductor to break, as is usual, at the line of contact of the conductor' with the enlarged memberbecause the soft metal prolongssthe'li-fe of the conductor. In the preferred form of bond the' helical proteatjhem The member 6 is'pre erably made of'a quite 'resistant tor uctor p 5 .throu h A go by the name of member' 6 surrounding the conductor 5 extends from one enlarged member, as '7 to the other at the other end of the bond as shown in Fig. 1, although, if desired, the helical wthoutthe central poraan, is shownin Fig. 4, in whichio is one end portion and'11 is the other.

In the preferred ormof bondthe enlarged` member? forms part of a plug which has a tapered portion 12 which is driven into a cav- 13, Fig. 2, of the rail member;l In

order to secure the plug firmly 1t 1s formed reduced portion' at the small end o enlarged member'? is seated I30. ving the conductorv 5 and-'iilling the cav1ty 9 is attached to and -lls several of the con-- v'to the4 form vof construction shown in vwith la cavity 14 of uni rm bore 1'nto'wh1ch a dowel 15 is driven by drivmg the plug into the cavit as 13, and which expands the walls of the p ug into irmcontact with the walls or'tlzle-cavlty in the rail chamber.

The dowel in practice is shipped in place as shown in dowel is made with a tapered portion 16 and aportion ofreduced diameter 17 ofthe same size as the diameterfof the'cavity1`4. This thetaered rtion 'substantiall -orms a'. chamered s oulder 18, which being. positioned as shown in Fig. when'the'plug 1s inserted in a rail cavity and driven, immediately'begins .to expandthe walls of the plug. In order.

to retain the do'wel in place when shipping, it is knurled for a short distance on the reduced portion, as at 19.

In the preferred construction of bond the helical member 6 where -it bears against the 9 and in addition the soft metal 20. surroundvolutions of the helix 6 Although our preerredform of constructionis as lshown by Figs. 1, -2 and 3, neverthelessmany situations'vvould' be well I suited 1g. 8, which is identical wththat shown in Figs.v 1, 2' and 3 exceptthat the enlarged member- 7 has no tapered portion land is formed to be Welded'or brazed directly to the Aface ofthe head orball ofthe rail member..

Although moetsituationscall for a rail head to rail Ahead connection, nevertheless the improved bond may be connectedv between any tworail members, as shown in in which 21 designatesa fish plate or angle balaone of therail members.

g. 54 has been shown -a construction inwhich .the conductor: 5dias been eliminated.- This construction would be suitable where but smallconductivity is required, al-

I though if the-material. forming .the helix' .is

of large enough crosssectionj any required long the life ofthe bond.

' 'therprotects the soft metal of the bondir conductivity could be provided for.

The .bondhereinbefore describedV because containing the soft, flexible stranded conducgood conductivity. By being surrounded by. the helix the conductor 5 when subjected to usual distortion will be bent without abruptness-and ineasy sweepin arcs of comparatively long'radi'us which ten s to pro-v The helix 6 furmechanical injuryand from abrasion Fig. 3; -Toacilitate this the..

within the cav1tyj .bingagainst a rail member such as an ad jacent fish plate.v The soft metal in the 1' cavity-9 absorbs the usual vibration and inconnection with helix 6 practically'prevents v failure of the conductor in service at a line', 7c

of contact of the conductor with the enlarged member 7 A bond in the preferred form;y

.a is .conveniently installable, merely by form-1 ing acavity in therail'member with an or-' .Y

-dinary -drill and iseasily `removable by inserting a tool such as a claw bar inthe space between the portion 7 andthe .railjhead The bondA may be shipped complete with the dowelpins 1 5 in place andifthejknurling .1 9 is not.v entirely suilicient to hold ythe dow- 30 els in place it .may be aided bydipping the 'plug molten metal as itin after the dowels have been putin place wherebythe dowel'and plug will be additionally held together by the soldering actiono the tin. 85 Although there has been'particularly"de I scribed. the preferred physical embodimentv of the invention and modifiedl forms thereof, nevertheless, itis desired to have it understood that the forms selected are merely illusa0 trative but -do not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlvingtheinventions.`

What is claimed as new and desired'tose- 'cure by vLetters Patent of the United .95 States, isz. 1. In a rail bond for electrically connecting adj acent'rail` members, formed each Wit a cavity in combination: a plug for insertion in a y'cavity of one'rail member; aplug for insertion in a; cavity oil-another adjacent rail lmembeneach of said plugs ormed'withv a passage therein and al cavity of larger diameter at an entrance tothe passage; a conductor having one end portion positioned in thepassage of one plug and the other end portion in the passage'of the other plug and securely vsolderedto each plug.; a helically' wound electrically, 'conducting member surrounding the conductor and having one end seated in the cavity of one plug andthe other end seated in the cavity 4of the other p lug.A 2. In a rail bond forelectrically connecting adjacent rail'members, formed `each. with a cavity, incombination: a'plug for insertion in a cavity of one rail member; a plug for insertion in a cavity of another adjacent rail member, ieach of said'. plugs formed with a passage therein and a cavity of largerdiameter at an entrance to the passage -a conductor having one end portion positioned in the passage of one plugl and the other end ortion in the passage of the other plug and) securely soldered to each plug, a helically wound member surrounding the conductor and having one end seated in the cavity of one 'plug and the other end seated in the cavity of the v other plug, and soldered toeach plug.

3. In arail bond for electrically connectng adjacent rail members, formed each with the other end seated in end seated in the cavity a cavity in combination: a plug for insertion in a cavity of one rail member; a plug for in-- sertion in a cavity of another adjacent rail member, each of said plugs formed with a passage therein land a cavity ot' larger diameter at an entrance to the passage; a conductor having one end portion positioned in the passage of one plug and the other end portion in the passage of the other plug and securely soldered to each plug; a helically Wound member surrounding the conductor and having one end seated in the cavity of one plug and the cavity ofthe other plug and having soft metal surrounding the conductor and filling the cavity and attached both to the conductor and the plugs.

4. In a rail bond for electrically connecting adjacent rail members formed each With a cavity in combination: a plug for insertion in a cavity of one rail member; a plug for insertion in a cavity of another -adjacent rail member, each of said plugs formed With a passage therein and a cavity of larger diameter at an entrance to the passage; a conductor having one end portion positioned in the passage of one plug and theother end portion in the passage of the other plug and securely soldered to each plug; a helically Wound member surrounding the conductor and having one end seated in thefcavity of one plug and the other end seated in the cavity of the other plug, and having soft metal surrounding the conductor and filling the cavity and attached both to the conductor and the plugs. and projecting from the plugs and attached to and filling several ot the convolutions of the helically Wound member.

5. Ina rail bond for electrically connecting adjacent rail members;` in combination: an enlarged member for attachment to one rail member; an enlarged member for attachment to another adjacent rail member, each of said enlarged members formed with a passage therein and a cavity of larger diameter at an entrance to the passage; a conductor having one end portion positioned in the pasl sage of one enlarged member and the other end portion in the passage of the other enlarged member and securely soldered to each enlarged member; a helically Wound member surrounding the conductor and having one of one enlarged member and the other end seated in the cavity of the other enlarged member.

6: In a plug for insertion in a rail member a body circular in cross section throughout, tapered and having a portion of reduced diameter adjacent the smaller end of the tapered portion, and having a portion of the reduced diameter portion knurled.

EDIVARD M. DEEMS. f W'ILLIAM H. B. LAVARACK.

cavity the combination of a tapered portion Circular in cross sectionand formed With a cavity of uniform diameter of a dowel for engagement With'said last named cavity circular in cross section and having a tapered portion and a portion of reduced diameter vthus forming substantially a shoulder, said portion of'reduced diameter having substantiallythe diameter of the cavity of the plug.

7. As a dovvel for a plug for a rail bond, 

